This Tuesday the verdict is expected in a wrongful death suit against the government of Israel brought by the family of an American girl who died when she acted as a human shield against Israeli military anti-terrorism efforts.

As if there weren’t already enough drama and media attention surrounding the Rachel Corrie trial, it appears that U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro this week lent credibility to the plaintiffs’ case against the government of Israel when he reportedly criticized the Israeli investigation into Corrie’s death.

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According to several newsreports, Ambassador Shapiro told the Corrie family that the U.S. government believes the Israeli investigation was not “thorough, credible and transparent.” That was enough to feed the liberal blogosphere, which touted the US support for the Corries, convicting Israel in their own court hearing.

But is that really the case?

The Israeli investigation, conducted immediately after Corrie’s death, concluded that what happened was a tragic accident brought on largely because Corrie insisted on entering and remaining in a military zone, and ignored repeated and escalating efforts to leave the area. Further, that investigation found that the bulldozer operator could not have seen Corrie when she was struck and killed.

A little background, first.

In late January, 2003, Rachel Corrie moved from Olympia, Washington to Gaza, where she joined the virulently anti-Israel International Solidarity Movement and volunteered to act as a human shield in order to stop Israeli efforts to combat terrorism. She died on March 16, 2003, when she placed herself in the path of an Israeli army bulldozer that was in the process of leveling ground and removing booby traps planted by terrorists.

Between the time that Corrie arrived at the site and her death, the IDF issued multiple warnings and attempted to remove Corrie and her colleagues with shock grenades, tear gas and warning shots. The protesters refused to leave the site.

An Israeli military investigation took place immediately after Corrie’s death. The IDF concluded its investigation in June, 2003, finding that the bulldozer driver could not have seen Corrie, that the death was a tragic accident, and that Corrie had endangered herself by entering and remaining in a combat zone. The investigation determined there was no fault on the part of the Israeli bulldozer driver, and that no charges would be brought.

What happened next within the US government on this issue is nearly as much of a deep mystery as many of Corrie’s supporters believe events surrounding her death is.

When Amb. Shapiro met with the Corries in advance of the court verdict last week, he was representing the US government, speaking to an American family, and discussing the death of an American citizen. Although much has been made of his statement by supporters of the Corries, in fact he was simply repeating what has been described as the official position of the US government with respect to the Israeli investigation into Corrie’s death.

But where did the position come from? Upon what was it based?

It turns out, the position appears to simply be the opinion of Rachel Corrie’s parents, the plaintiffs in the case against the government of Israel.

During his confirmation hearing in May, 2011, now Ambassador Dan Shapiro was asked by Massachusetts Senator John Kerry what steps he would take to ensure, as the State Department Spokesperson had called for, “that the Israeli government would continue a thorough, transparent and credible investigation of the circumstances concerning [Corrie’s] death.”

The State Department spokesperson was echoing what, in 2008, Senator Joe Biden asked during the confirmation hearing for Ambassador James Cunningham, now ambassador to Afghanistan, who was leaving his position at the US Consulate in Hong Kong.

Biden asked the future ambassador to Israel about the Rachel Corrie incident. He asked whether, “in your opinion, has a thorough, credible, and transparent investigation taken place?” The Ambassador did not answer in the affirmative. Instead, Cunningham stated that “The Department remains committed to providing the highest standards of citizen services to the Corrie family. If confirmed, I will continue to press the Government of Israel for a thorough and transparent investigation of the tragic death of Rachel Corrie.”

Curious.

For those few who have followed the path of the “official US administration position” regarding Israel’s investigation into Corrie’s death, the trail leads to a letter allegedly written in June, 2004, to the Corries by Lawrence B. Wilkerson, Chief of Staff to then-Secretary of State Colin L. Powell. Wilkerson was replying to the Corries who asked him whether, in his opinion, the investigation conducted by Israel was “thorough, credible and transparent.” According to legend, Wilkerson replied: “no.”

Lori Lowenthal Marcus is a contributor to the JewishPress.com. A graduate of Harvard Law School, she previously practiced First Amendment law and taught in Philadelphia-area graduate and law schools. You can reach her by email: Lori@JewishPressOnline.com

23 COMMENTS

Remember that it was the Bush administration that first stated that the IDF investigation was not as thorough, credible or transparent as desired which President Bush was assured by Sharon would occur.
According to Oslo, the IDF had no right to be in the area they were working as they were over 150 meters off of the Philadelphi Corridor. Per Oslo it was the the IDF that was in the wrong place. And, the Israeli military command knew that this Oslo stipulation was problematic for them….so they took the matter into their own hands and violated Oslo and were creating the buffer zone. The last thing the IDF needed was a video like showed up two days before Rachel's death showing the bulldozers working well into Palestinian territory and inside the wall….Oslo Oslo Oslo. That is what this is about and photographs and videos surfacing proving the IDF in huge violation.

An American girl with no personal ties to the region decides that she is going to change an old and complicated conflict by interfering with the IDF, a powerful military force which has developed over many years to defend Israeli citizens from violent attacks by 21 Muslim countries which want to destroy it. With an obvious sense of great righteousness she sits down in front of a huge bulldozer.
She is killed. Her cohorts then contend that she was killed on purpose. The righteous white, Western, Christian damsel becomes their martyr. Ms. Corrie put herself in danger. In a combat zone, unarmed journalists and photographers, and combatants get killed, sometimes by friendly fire. The hubris of this girl and her family and the rest of the ISM gang makes me sick. For two thousand years Christianity has blamed the Jews for murdering Jesus, a death which they exalt theologically as their salvation. What's the difference?

What happened to Charity begins at Home USA veterans suicide 14 a month Go Help your own, FIRST. USA Homeless needs help, Why they need to go around the world stick their nose anywhere like a Drone strike or suicide bomber. Americans go home clean house,"When your living in a Glass House, throw no stones".

I know plenty of Christians who are supportive of Israel and those who think that they can make a statement and change the world by stopping a bulldozer are truly naive! I blame that Anti-Israel brain manipulation movement that contributed to placing her in a definite life/death situation. She chose to be there and the organization allowed her to be in danger- perhaps Israel should pass a law that foreigners are not allowed to live there and join these lethal organizations! I pray for the Peace of Jerusalem! Shalom

Ambassador Shapiro's statement is not credible. It seems the Obama administration is not yet finished with slapping the faces of the righteous people of Israel. What's next? Sending Rabbi Lynne Gottlieb as the next ambassador?

The Corries must share part of the blame. When you raise a bigot to support terrosim you shoud be ashamed. My prays for their grief, but hopefully they will change their lives and renounce the anti-semitic livestyle.

It is hard to think of a better instance of natural selection than Rachel Corrie (Vittorio Arrigoni, the anti-Israel Italian pacifist who was strangled by his Gazan terrorist hosts certainly comes to mind) who grew up in a privileged setting in the States and ended up joining the ISM, a virulently anti-Israel organization which has consistently aided terrorist groups such as Islamic Jihad in deadly attacks on Israeli commercial establishments. And now the people from whom she inherited her defunct "useful" idiot DNA are doing everything in their power to perpetuate the same vapid lie of Israeli injustice that surely was responsible for misleading their deceased offspring to run off to a war zone and kneel in bushes in the path of a D9 bulldozer.

Cheryl Brodersen Thank you for pointing out the Oslo connection. I hadn't read that anywhere. Do you think there will be repercussions?

What I did read is that now people are calling for Nato/UN to invade Israel, secure its nuclear weapons, and set up an international government. Do you think there's any possibility that this would be attempted?

All fingers of accusation point to Israel. The French courts are currently investigating the death of Arafat and, I expect, will conclude that his death was a homicide. The usual suspects will be "rounded-up" and yes, you guessed it…they will accuse Israel and the Mossad. Interestingly enough, the Polonium-210 found on the remains of Arafat has a half-life of only 138 days…so…do the math..someone at the autopsy "tampered"
with the evidence since Arafat died in 2004.